Adjustable automatic folding platform for step-ladders



Aug. 4, 1931.- "smq ETERs ETAL' 1,817,160-

ADJUSTABLE AUTOMATIC FOLDING PLATFORM FOR STEP LADDERS Filed March: 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fiwwn m. P

HINVENTORJ T 112 BY A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 4, 1931. s. M. PETERS ET AL ADJUSTABLE AUTOMATIC FOLDING PLATFORM FOR STEP LADDERS Filed March 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS A TTORNEYS l atented Aug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATES SPENCER M. PETERS AND: ARTHUR B. ROCHESTER, 0F SPRINGFIELD; rLLI'Nois'; sAin PA E roFFroE ROCHESTER ASSIGNOR TO EEAID PETERS ADJUSTABLE AUTOMA' IIC FOLDING PLATFORM FOR STEP-LADDERS Application filed March 27,. 1929. Seria1No. 350,336.

Our invention relates to platforms for step-ladders and the like andmore particularly relates to platforms adapted to be'automatically folded as a step-ladder is:folded to a closed position without the necessity of controlling the movement of the platform by any special hand control when the ladder is being folded.

Another object of our invention is to provide as a platform for stepladders a convenient, economical, practical and durable stepladder platform adapted to meet all the known purposes of a step-ladder platform which may be operatively connected intermediate the top and bottom of the ladder.

A further purpose of our invention is to provide in connection with a step-ladder and an intermediate platform a detachable step adapted to be quickly and conveniently attached-and detached and when in normal use inserted on the stiles between the platform and the top of the ladder where it may be desired to climb to the top of the ladder instea of standing on the platform. 7

A further object of our invention is to provide an automatic adjustable step-ladder platform having adjustment means adapted to keep the platform when in normal use in an approximate horizontal position regardless of the relative pivotal adjustment between the ladder stiles and the ladder supporting legs within predetermined limits of pivotal adjustment between them. I

We attain'the objects of our invention in the device described in the annexed specification, recited in the claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures. V 7 Referring tothe figures: V Fig. 1 is a perspective of showing our step-ladder platform as when in normal use.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan View of a step-ladder with a cross section taken from ab on Fig.

4 in order to the more completely disclose the mechanical structure of our step-ladder platform.

3 is a perspective of a detachable lada step-ladder der-step adapted to be removed when; it fis' desired tostand on our ladder platform.

. igfais a vertical half section of a step ladder shown as when in an assembled posit'ion andopened in a manner shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 5j1s a vertical cross sect on of astep ladder shownv in folded position ofthefolding parts including the ladder platform; 7 v Referring now in detail to the construction of our step-ladder platform and the prethe folded. position of ferred manner of operating the same we provide a platform member 1 hingedly connected to the ladder supporting leg structure by hinges 2 and 3 while ladder platform l has a pivotal controlling U bar .4+ extending through the. body of the.

platform intermediate the pivoted and free end position andconnected to the platform 'l thru anglebars .5- and 6 -and having the lowerends -7 and 8 of the U ;bar normally. fitting into adjustment holes 9 an'd -10 in stiles ll and l2. of the step. ladder to which theplatform is operativelyconnected. Our, platform .l is hingedly connected to its sup porting bracket 13 secured to one of the brace members 14, of ladder legs -1:5

and 16 to which ladder brace member "l7-+ is also attached. I

When our ladderis 'spreadopen our platform .1 rests with its free end on a rung 1 8 secured to stiles -l1 and 12+ ,on' the approximate level with the supporting bracket 13. of the platform l. Steps 19 are shown as flat steps but maybe any suitabledesign of step-lad- V der step, thisdeta-il being unimportant;to the essential operationfof our invention.

Itwil-l benoted in Fig. 4 that the, ladder is shown in solid lines with the supporting legs fully extended and in dotted lines the ladder is shown partially folded with the platform of our invention as a result partially lifted to a folded position.

When it is desired to actually use the ladder with the supporting legs and stiles pivot-- ally moved closer together, then in order to keep platform l in horizontal position while being thus used, ends 7- and 8 of U bar e may be inserted into a pair of the lower holes 9- and 10 in stiles l1- and 12; an adjustment which will merely extend platform -1 further out over rung -18 while it still retains its horizontal position.

hen the step-ladder is in normal use it may be desirable to use the top shelf 20. It will be seen that as long as the platform 10 -1 is in use then the extra step 21 may not be needed, especially when the user desires to stand on the platform; but when it is desired to climb to the top of the ladder then detachable step 21+ is secured in position for use, in which tongue 22 of the step engages bracket 23 on style 11- whilebolts -24 and 25 engage holes 26 and 27- respectively in stile -12. WVhen folding the ladder so that the leg 5 members -15- and 16- thereof pivotally move toward stiles 11- and 12-, U bar 4 automatically pushes up on platform 1 and keeps pushing it up until platform 1- comes into alignment with the ladder supporting legs -15 and 16- as shown in Fig. 5.

Having thus described the nature of our step ladder platform and its preferred manner of operation what We claim is:

: In a ladder construction of the character described the combination with a pivoted ladder member and supporting leg members pivotally connected at the top and a series of steps on said ladder member terminating short of the pivot ends a bracket on said leg members, an adjustable automatic folding platform pivotally mounted on said bracket on said leg members and extending between the stiles of said ladder member folding up an therewith when not in use and resting at the free end thereof in a horizontal plane on one of said steps when in operative position; a U bar extending pivotally through said platform between its pivoted end and free end and pivotally and detachably engaging said stiles of the ladder member; said last named stiles having aligned adjustment holes adapted to provide means for adjusting the pivotal relation of said ladder member and leg mem- 5" bers when in normal use while still holding said platform in a horizontal position.

In witness whereof, we hereunto set our hands this th da of March, 1929.

SPEN ER M. PETERS. ARTHUR B. ROCHESTER. 

